LANCASHIRE today set their sights on ousting Surrey and claiming second place in the Frizzell County Championship after the disappointment of losing out to Sussex in the long chase for the title.

Sussex completed their progress towards an historic triumph at Hove yesterday, leaving only the chase for the £50,000 prize money on offer for runners-up outstanding in the top division, with Lancashire and Surrey in hot competition.

Only five points separate Lancashire from Surrey as both sides enter the third day of their final matches of the season knowing that if they can get a better result than their rivals, they will claim the money.

But as Lancashire strive to overcome a 157-run first innings deficit against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, a lead which was extended when the home side reached 16 for one when bad light ended play early yesterday, coach Mike Watkinson insisted it was not the money which would motivate his side during the next two days.

"The money may be important to the players in the dressing room and it may help buy them a new dishwasher, but it's not the thing that drives us," stressed Watkinson.

"The one thing that will motivate us is a desire to go out there and continue to play good and competitive cricket like we have all season."

The possible achievement of finishing higher in the table than Surrey, the outstanding side in domestic cricket for the past few years, is also a major factor to a Lancashire side who could finish with nothing despite challenging for the title all season.

"At the start of the season Surrey would have been favourites to win the championship and whoever finished above them would not have been far away from winning something," said Watkinson.

"We said we wanted to stand toe to toe with them and if we could do that we would have made progress as a team, so if we can finish second that would have gone some way towards achieving that."

Lancashire will make a decision about their playing staff at the end of the season and could be among a number of counties interested in all-rounder Dominic Cork, who has asked to be released from his Derbyshire contract with two years to run.

Cork is likely to interest other counties, including Nottinghamshire, and Lancashire chairman Jack Simmons admitted: "I've always been a big Dominic Cork fan ever since he made his England debut and I still believe he is a good player.

"If reports of his salary are to be believed I don't think he will fit into our structure. I won't break that for anyone but if Dominic Cork will come to us and fit in with our structure then I'm sure we'd be interested - although it would have to come from the dressing room and the captain and the coach would have to want him."